


Cashing in My Bad Luck

by 3988Akasha



Series: Chicago [15]
Category: Revolution (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-21
Updated: 2019-07-21
Packaged: 2020-07-09 15:34:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19890178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/3988Akasha/pseuds/3988Akasha
Summary: Miles' past catches up to him when someone close to him goes missing.





	Cashing in My Bad Luck

**Author's Note:**

> Another one, so soon? Still can't do the real school writing, but this, this was fun.

“We’ve got a problem,” Danny announced as he burst through the door. 

Miles looked up from the report on his desk and took in his nephew’s flushed face, quick breathing, and scared eyes.

“Danny?”

“Charlie’s gone. From what I’ve been able to piece together, she snuck out during the guard shift a week ago, maybe two.” 

Miles pinched the bridge of his nose. “Do we have any leads on a direction or anything?”

“This,” Danny thrust a piece of paper into Miles’ hand. “Jeremy has the guy who brought it down in interrogation, but he doesn't make any sense. Neither does the note.” 

Miles looked down at the quickly scratched out note. “‘It’s all just fun and games.’”

“Bass is meeting with Neville about the train. Grab them both and meet me down in interrogation.”

“Uncle Miles?”

“I know where she is. We’re gonna go get her back. Now go.”

Miles watched Danny practically fly out of the room. He shoved the note in his pocket as he stalked down the hallway. Before heading to the interrogation rooms, he swung by the workshop. Rachel stood by the workbench, hair piled up on her head, pencil between her teeth. At least she seemed to be working.

“Did you tell her to run, Rachel?

“What?” 

“Charlie. Did you tell her to run?”

“Charlie’s gone? Damn you, Miles. You said you’d protect her!”

Miles moved in close. “You expect me to believe you knew nothing about this?”

Rachel held his gaze, eyes wide, nearly believable in their honesty. “Charlie hasn’t spoken to me since the day you made my son your new chief torturer.”

“For your sake, I hope you’re telling me the truth.” 

He left. His name echoing off the walls as she screamed after him. When he reached the interrogation room, everyone was there waiting. The room was divided, and one side allowed them all a view of the poor bastard chained to the chair. 

“Miles?” Bass asked, concern in his eyes.

“Drexel.”

“Shit.” 

“Last I knew, he liked us. He made us a ton of money and we,” Miles paused, jaw tight, “I gave him a monopoly on heroin.” 

“Yeah, he doesn’t exactly send us Christmas cards anymore,” Jeremy began. “Things were bad right after you decided to pursue your life-long dream of running a dive bar on the border, and people like Drexel suffered for it.” 

Miles looked over at the man they’d caught. He looked just like every other strung out junkie working for Drexel. Lank, greasy hair fell into his blood-shot, sunken eyes, hell, Miles could see the track marks from here. For a moment, guilt consumed him. After all, he’d made the heroin trade legal, damn near gave it the General Matheson seal of approval, for a price, of course. Glancing once more at the strung out man shackled to the chair he wondered if it mattered. People would find a way to get their fix of something in this hellhole of a world his brother created. He found himself at the bottom of a bottle of whiskey as often as anything, so really did it matter if someone else used Drexel’s poppy to find their escape? At least when he was still here, and damn would he find anything that didn’t fall apart because he left, he knew no one was being forced to do it. He’d caught a prostitution ring of pimps who hooked their girls on heroin, kept them compliant. Prostitution was another allowable vice under the Republic, so forcing girls wasn’t necessary. A smile curved his lips at the memory; he’d enjoyed killing those bastards. 

“Let’s see what he knows.”

Miles moved into the room. He caught the man’s gaze and saw the flash of recognition in them before he turned away with a muttered curse. Another slow smile spread across his face. He’d enjoy this, too.

“Okay, you’re going to tell me what Drexel wants.”

“Payback, he wants payback.”

“That’s just too easy. He’s gonna sing like a canary,” Jeremy groused. 

“Yeah, he is. And when he’s done, I’m gonna hit him until I feel better.” 

The man on the chair gulped, and Miles saw a familiar looking smile creep across Danny’s face. 

“He still at the same place?’

“Yeah. New family next door, they burned most of his crops, don’t like heroin, and with you gone, the militia wasn’t there to back him. Your girl, the pretty blonde, she wandered across one of Drexel’s guys just outside Philly.”

“Why does Drexel have guys near my capitol?”

“Confirmation, man. Wanted to confirm the rumors that you were back. Blondie told us a lot about how things are now, said you were back. Drexel sent me with a message as soon as she was on her way to the compound.” 

“We have no idea how long she’s been gone, or how long she’s been with Drexel. Hell, she might not even be there yet. It’s a six day journey at best,” Bass said. 

Miles looked over at Danny who had been conspicuously silent throughout the whole thing. He stood stock still, only a slight twitch in his jaw gave away that he was human. Ben would kill him for what he was about to do, but Ben was dead. Ben was the reason they were all in this shitshow to begin with. Bass was right, like always, and Ben knew what would happen when they turned out the lights; he put his children at risk. Something clicked into place as he thought everything through, like the jagged pieces of himself finally slotted into place.

“Danny, why don’t you and our friend here get acquainted while we get ready to head to Ohio.”

“Uncle Miles?”

“He’s told us everything we need. We don’t need him anymore.”

He watched the realization on Danny’s face. Saw him quickly sort through a cascade of different emotions. He no longer felt surprised when he saw a vision of his own expression settle on Danny’s features. Alex caught his attention, and Miles inclined his head. Alec would stay. Before any of them had a chance to leave the room, Danny’s fist connected with the guy’s cheek. 

“Let’s get ready.” Miles led everyone out of the room with a smile on his face. 

Once back in the office, Miles poured a drink. Everyone took a moment to collect their thoughts, run through ideas. Miles had a hard time keeping his thoughts in order. He felt so proud of Danny, of the man he was becoming, the militia officer he grew into during the short time he’d been here. Thoughts of Charlie came next. She’d better be alive and whole when they got there or a field of dead poppies would be the least of Drexel’s concerns. 

“Sir,” Tom began, “We have the train operational. It would reduce our travel time significantly. Perhaps lend us the element of surprise.”

“How long would it take to get the train ready? I want enough troops to raze the entire plant to the ground.”

“Are we certain Drexel is that much of a threat?”

“Tom, if it was Julia, how many men would you take with you?”

“I’ll have a company prepared to leave in an hour.”

“Jeremy and I will have the train ready, Miles.”

He looked over at Bass. “Who’s running heroin for you now?”

“We don’t have a single supplier like before, a couple of smaller operations. One outside Pittsburgh, and one outside Baltimore.”

“Have a favorite?”

Bass smiled. “Yeah, Pittsburgh is run by a guy, Lawrey, who left Drexel’s operation. Has no love lost, and runs a clean operation. Baltimore, well, he’s a bit too cocky for my liking. I think he feels more secure because he’s closer to the capitol.” 

“Okay, good,” Miles paused as Danny came into the room. He looked at Alec who gave a small nod before looking back at Danny. He seemed calmer than before. Matheson indeed. Both Miles and Ben felt better after a good fight. 

“Once we get Charlie,” Miles continued, “Line ‘em up, execution style. It’s time we send a message.” 

“And if Charlie’s not…” Danny bit his lip, eyes darted to the floor. 

Miles moved over and placed a hand on Charlie’s shoulder. “We can’t think like that.”

“But, if she’s - ”

“Then the execution will be the longest final moments of their lives,” Miles interrupted. He didn’t like the look settling on Danny’s face because he recognized it. With a quick glance around the room, he dismissed everyone to prepare for their journey. Bass held his gaze for a moment longer before following everyone from the room.

“Look, Danny,” Miles began.

“I beat him to death, Uncle Miles.” Danny’s voice was a harsh whisper in the quiet of the room. “I kept waiting for Alec to pull me back, thought that’s why he was there, but he didn’t. Didn’t say anything, didn’t stop me.” 

“He wasn’t there to stop you, kid.”

“You wanted me to kill him?”

“He was dead either way. Figured you had some stuff to work out, and his face was as good as any.” 

“Is it meant to feel good? After.” 

Miles smirked. “Probably not, but when it’s personal like that, yeah, it always feels good.” 

“When you came after me, you killed everyone then, too. Was it because they didn’t just hand us over?”

“No, they were dead either way. Pete had been gunning for me for a long time. They’d kidnapped you, which was enough, then Bass was shot, and well, I’ve never reacted well to that.” 

“You know Charlie left on her own. The guy, he didn’t kidnap her or anything. The way he told it, Charlie went with them, said she needed to get away from the Capitol, somewhere we couldn't get to her.”

“She’s scared, confused, hurt. It’s been a lot for her. She remembers your mom before she left. I get why she ran.”

“She’ll get it after this, I think. The whole Republic, you and Uncle Bass - I think she’ll finally understand.”

“What makes you think that?”

“Seeing you bring down the whole damn militia to come save my sorry ass sure changed my perspective. Made me realize who cared. And she’s a Matheson. She’s stubborn, but she’s not stupid.” 

Miles wanted to be excited about the train, to congratulate Bass, and perhaps even apologize for being a stubborn bastard who never believed it was possible. Instead, he found the part of himself he’d locked away when he’d been in Chicago. Sure, there’d been glimpse of it. When they’d gone for Danny, more bleed through during the shit storm at Freeport. But, this was all consuming. He could feel the other’s eyes on him, Jeremy looked pleased, like he’d finally gotten his wish, Bass looked oddly content, like something had settled in him, too. Alec sat in the corner talking with Danny, but even he snuck glances at Miles, lips quirked up. They’d left Neville back at the capitol because they needed someone to be in charge, and Jeremy argued he missed the party the last time they went after a wayward Matheson. 

The train took them to Alliance, Ohio, which was about four hours from Columbia. Since it was to the north, Miles hoped it would keep Drexel from knowing they were coming. The train continued on to Columbus and then to Indianapolis without them, an attempt to keep Drexel from knowing they were here, and to collect another supply cache. They mounted horses, filled the wagons, and lined up the men into twelve different formations. They’d approach the compound from all sides, Miles and Danny taking the front with four men, and everyone else spread out around, cutting off all escape routes. As they approached the front of the white colonial house, Miles took note of how different it looked. The fields of poppies were burned for acres and acres, and there were more men around the perimeter than he remembered. Sure, some it could be because Drexel knew he was coming, but he also remembered Drexel’s man mentioning something about neighbors burning his crops.

Guards stopped them as they approached the gates. 

“This is private property, you need to turn around.”

“Tell Drexel Miles Matheson needs to see him. Now.”

The guard looked unimpressed.

Miles shrugged his shoulders. “He’s gonna be pissed if you don’t.”

He waited while the guard relayed the order.

“These are poppies?” Danny asked.

“Yeah, heroin in the raw. Before I left, Drexel supplied half the Republic. Look, Danny, you’re gonna learn some stuff about me, about the Republic - ”

“It doesn’t matter. Whatever it takes to get Charlie back.”

“Open the gates!” 

Miles glanced over at Danny. “You ready for this?” This whole plan was risky, they were both too exposed, and Miles risked everything on the assumption that Drexel would want to drag it out, make it personal.

“No, but like I said, whatever it takes.”

Miles nodded. As he urged his horse forward, the men following behind.

“Miles Matheson, you son of a bitch.”

They heard the sound of dozens of rounds being chambered. Everyone aiming their rifles at someone else. If bullets started to fly before everyone was in position, it would get messy. They were outnumbered for the next few minutes, so Miles needed everything to go according to play.

“Danny,” Miles whispered, “Whatever happens next, go with it, and don’t react.”

“You’ve got a lot of nerve showing your face here.” Drexel’s voice pitched low at the end as he clambered down the steps.

He fired a shot into the air before Miles could even respond.

“Turn around, down on your knees,” Drexel ordered, gesturing with his handgun. 

“Alright, alright,” Miles said as he moved off of his horse and onto his knees. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Danny and the rest of his men do the same. 

“You’re first.”

Miles blinked rapidly as he felt the barrel touch his temple. The whole situation escalated more rapidly than he anticipated. 

“Wa - what are you doing, buddy?”

“On the count of three. One. Two. THREE!”

“DREXEL!”

The click of a dry fire, and Miles didn’t have to fake the relief that spread through him. He closed his eyes and savored the feeling of being alive. Bass was going to kill him later, and from the look on Danny’s face, Bass might have to get in line. Drexel had always been volatile, he indulged a bit too much in his own product, but even for him this was extreme. 

“You should see the look on your face,” Drexel whispered in his ear.

Miles shook his head.

“Get up,” Drexel ordered, laughter in his voice. “Get up. Come on.”

Miles turned to face him.

“It’s all fun and games.”

Miles saw Danny’s jaw tick.

“Can’t you take a joke?”

Miles leveled him a look. “Yeah, hilarious.”

The dark humor in Drexel’s eyes unnerved him. Crazy, angry men were unpredictable. Miles didn’t like unpredictable.

“I got your love note. Figured I’d send my reply in person.” 

“Blondie was telling the truth.” Drexel’s smile made Miles’ jaw ache. “Her story seemed so fantastical, you know? Like one of those old dramas, do you remember _Dallas_? You know, shady business dealings, family drama. Totally worth the popcorn.” 

“Drexel.” 

“Of course, you want to see the girl. Have a bit of a family reunion, huh? Oh calm down, Miles. It’s just a bit of fun.” He glanced around at his men. “Put your arms down.”

“You two,” Drexel gestured between Miles and Danny, “come on up into the house. Your friends will just have to wait outside. Oh, and um, turn over your weapons.”

Miles raised an eyebrow.

“House rules.” Miles snorted, but handed over his sword. Danny did the same.

They followed Drexel up into the house. Miles watched Danny’s face as he took in everything. The wide open space, the house so clean it felt unreal. He saw Danny’s nose scrunch up when he caught sight of the chair with a decorative flame back instead of something a bit less ostentatious. 

“Look, Miles, I don’t understand why you dragged yourself away from the capitol. I mean, your girl came to me. She was running out of Philly like the devil was chasing her. I gave her a nice room upstairs, a hot bath.” 

“You touch her?”

Drexel actually looked offended that Miles would ask. He gestured for them to follow him upstairs. Bass had two of the men follow them upstairs to a room at the end of the hall.

“Charlie?” Drexel called as he knocked on their door. “Miles Matheson and some blond boy I haven’t been introduced to yet are here to see you.” 

Miles didn’t expect to be as nervous as he was waiting for Charlie to open the door. Until that moment, it hadn’t occurred to him that she wouldn't want them to come after her. That maybe she didn’t want to go back with them. Drexel pushed open the door. He recognized her backpack, a few articles of clothing, but she wasn’t anywhere in sight.

“What the hell, Drexel?”

“I had a job for her.”

“A what?”

“Come with me.”

Miles and Danny exchanged a look, but followed Drexel out onto the patio.

“Do you know how much these poppies were worth?”

Looking out over the burned acres of poppies, Miles remembered how much money Drexel’s operation provided them. 

“Up in smoke.”

“What, somebody torched them?”

“Yeah, drunk Irish family up the road. The O’Hallorans.”

“Why? What’d you do to piss them off?”

Drexel turned to him, a faux innocent look on his face. “Nothing. Honestly, they just have a problem with heroin.”

Miles looked back over the fields.

“Can you believe that?”

“Yeah,” Miles replied, voice dry as the Sahara, “Drexel, I can believe that.” 

They were quiet for a moment, but Miles knew that each moment they waited Charlie was in more danger.

“So what’s the big deal? Why didn’t you just take care of them yourself?”

“Believe me, I have tried. But, it is harder than you think. That’s why it was so neat when your niece showed up on my doorstep. You see, there’s no way for me to get past them, but her? No one around her knows her face. She’s not one of my girls, you see? It was perfect.”

“Drexel,” Miles’ voice was low. “What did you do?”

“I sent her over there to deal with it for me. If she comes back alive, you can take her home.”

“You son of a bitch!” Danny lunged for Drexel, taking them both to the ground. 

“Come on,” Drexel spit blood from his mouth, “It’s just a bit of fun and games. Now, get off before my men shoot you.” 

“Uh, Drex?” Miles motioned to the men around him. While Danny had wrestled Drexel to the ground, the men they’d brought with them had secured the area. He looked behind him to see Bass and Jeremy walking towards the balcony. 

“Everything okay here, boys?” Jeremy asked.

“Charlie’s at the neighbor’s house,” Miles responded. “And, it’s time we went to go pick her up. Bring two platoons.” 

“You’ll never get to her in time, Miles.”

Danny punched him again, and Miles felt pride well up within him. “For your sake, I hope you’re wrong.” 

They raced to the horses and rode as fast as they could to the O’Hallorans property. In the end, it was embarrassingly easy to get Charlie. Having both the President of the republic and the Commanding General with two platoons behind him ride up to your front door apparently made some people intelligent enough to surrender quickly. Danny brought Charlie out of the house. Her dress was torn, and there was a bruise high up on her cheek bone, but she appeared more okay than not. 

Miles looked over at Danny, who whispered something to Charlie as he smoothed his fingers through her hair. 

“Kill them all.” Danny’s voice sounded like gravel. 

Bass looked over at Miles, then back at Danny. “Okay.” 

It was over in seconds. 

“Let’s get her into one of the wagons before we go deal with Drexel.”

When they made it back to Drexel’s, Jeremy had everyone rounded up. All of Drexel’s men were on their knees, as were the women, some crying, others too out of it to notice. Drexel was in the middle, head high, face smug. Then he saw Charlie, and his whole body slumped. He knew he was dead either way, but now he knew he’d lost. 

“Hey, Charlie,” Drexel called. “You ran away from him, and you know, that makes you smart. Did your Uncle Miles ever tell you how know each other?”

Jeremy punched Drexel. “No talking out of turn.”

“No,” Charlie spoke for the first time. “I want to hear this.”

“Charlie,” Danny.

“It’s okay, Danny,” Miles said. “Let the man talk.”

Drexel smiled. “It was back when he was general of the militia, but I guess you’re back to being the general again? I don’t know, Miles, it’s hard to keep up with these mood swings of yours. But, Charlie, and I mean this, you should have seen him. He would order men in front of a firing squad the way you and I would order a beer. And I _loved_ him for it. He was _my guy_. He helped me eliminate my competition and in return I lined his war chest with so much gold you could dive in and swim. Of course, then he deserted, but you know this part. But, here’s the part you don’t know. Because I was ‘Team Miles’ I was unfairly tainted. As if I was a scumbag traitor too. So, Charlie, like I told you before, he owes me for so much.”

“You sent me over there to kill someone, knowing I wouldn’t come back out just because people stopped buying your heroin?” Charlie asked, tears in her eyes. 

“Come on, it was all just fun and games.” 

“You disgust me.”

Drexel laughed. “Sweetheart, you’re precious, you know that? I disgust you, but Miles here, he’s a hero to you, right? Of course he is. He came charging in with what, is that, half the militia? He made excellent time, too. My estimate had him getting here about four days from now, just enough time for your body to be sent back over.” 

“Enough,” Miles growled out. “Danny, get Charlie in one of the wagons. Jeremy, line them up along the wall.” 

“Miles,” Danny called. “I want Drexel.”

Miles understood the feeling. “Danny, right now, you’ve gotta take care of her. She needs you to be the one to keep her away from all of this.”

“He hit her,” Danny’s voice was soft. “That bruise on her cheek, it’s from him.”

Miles nodded. He watched as Danny led Charlie over to one of the wagons, she refused to let him go. Once they were settled he walked back over to where Jeremy had all of the men lined up. Bass stood over Drexel.

“Those firing squads you enjoyed so much, Drexel? Well, you get your own private viewing,” Miles told him, as though commenting on the weather. “Get him up.”

He watched Bass haul the man to his feet. He held Drexel’s gaze until the man looked away, taking in the spectacle of his men lined up along the white stone fence surrounding his property. The one consolation in all of this is that it would be quick. One bullet each. 

“Ready,” Miles’ clear voice carried across the yard, “Take aim. Fire.”

The sound echoed across the yard, and Drexel’s body twitched as though the bullets were hitting him. Miles knew Danny wanted Drexel’s death to drag out, but if they had any chance of Charlie not hating them even more, this needed to be quick. Merciful. It left a bad taste in his mouth, but he had family he needed to look after. Bass placed his Colt in his hand, wrapped his fingers around it. Miles nodded; Bass smiled. They worked. Miles moved in front of Drexel, aimed for the middle of his forehead, and fired. 

“Bring the hands and the head,” Bass told Jeremy. “We have a train to catch.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Unbeta'd.


End file.
